Ukraine has intelligence that Russia is preparing another strike, aimed at the energy sector, bridges across the Dnipro River and civilian infrastructure. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave the warning in his nightly address on Friday, published on the website of the President of Ukraine.
“We now have intel that another strike is being prepared – targeting our energy sector, bridges across the Dnipro, and civilian infrastructure,” Zelenskyy said. The Air Force and the armed forces as a whole are preparing to defend against it, he said. “It’s not easy.”
Zelenskyy said he had spent the day in briefings with the military, government officials and energy companies on protecting infrastructure and dealing with the aftermath of Russian strikes, and that a prompt response at every level mattered. More repair crews will be fielded, he said, and the armed forces will help deal with the aftermath.
Aircraft alone had shot down 62 jet-powered Shahed drones in the past 24 hours, since Thursday evening, he said, and the Air Force was getting results like that almost every day. He said Ukraine needed more of them, along with more mobile fire groups, electronic warfare units and surface-to-air missile forces, and that recent talks had produced agreements on extra support, including ammunition for the F-16s doing that work.
Repairs, and Kyiv’s failed preparations
Russia’s tactics, Zelenskyy said, target power grids, transformers and switchgear, so a region can face shortages even when the country has enough generating capacity. Repairs can fix that, he said, and speed is what counts.
He said new agreements would bring energy equipment from Germany, Spain, Slovakia and other countries, for repairs and backup reserves. Kyiv was a separate problem. Preparations at the city level had failed, he said, including backup power for the water utility, and the Cabinet of Ministers was pressing suppliers to move faster.
Zelenskyy said he had also talked with the prime minister about extra incentives for repair crews, and for the energy-sector, railway and municipal utility staff working around the clock. Ukraine was still fighting to secure deliveries of air defense missiles, he said, and the countries that can help are obvious, the United States first and foremost.
“We need interceptor missiles for our Patriots. Every agreement matters, and every day counts when it comes to deliveries. We’re asking our partners very strongly: please don’t put off deliveries.”
A response promised, talks still sought
Zelenskyy said he had spoken with the team responsible for Ukraine’s deep strikes, its long-range strikes. “Russia will get our response,” he said.
He said he had also held an important conversation with the NB8 countries, the Nordic and Baltic states, briefing them on Ukraine’s needs ahead of winter and counting on their support. Kyiv was not letting up on efforts to get meetings organized in formats involving the Americans, Europeans and Russians, he said, because the war needs to get onto the diplomatic track and move toward ending.
Zelenskyy said he and the commander-in-chief are preparing personnel decisions in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He closed by asking people to please stay safe, given the threat of missile attacks.
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